


Moth to the Flame

by Furorscribiendi



Series: Sun and Sand [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-12
Updated: 2012-08-12
Packaged: 2017-11-12 00:26:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/484603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Furorscribiendi/pseuds/Furorscribiendi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten years have passed since Hogwarts, and Draco’s unhappily married to Pansy. Pansy thinks a romantic getaway to Barbados is the cure-all for their relationship problems. But while he's there, Draco finds someone he thought had vanished away for good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moth to the Flame

**Author's Note:**

> _soursop_ : a big dark green heart shaped fruit with a spiny skin; the pithy flesh is usually made into drinks or ice cream  
>  _breadfruit_ : round sort of fruit with yellowish-green/green skin that can be bumpy or prickly; it’s kinda starchy and likened to bread and can be eaten fried, boiled or roasted  
>  _plantain_ : like a banana but larger, has more starch and has to be cooked to be eaten; degrees of ripeness vary from green and hard (unripened) to dark brown and slightly yielding when touched (ripened)  
>  _pawpaw_ : the slang term for papaya in the English speaking islands of the Caribbean  
>  _sorrel_ : the fleshy sepal of a tropical flower used to make drinks, jams, jellies and sauces

______________________________________

There were times that Draco felt like cursing his now deceased father quite vehemently.

He cursed Lucius’ unyielding desire for power and its acquisition.

He cursed Lucius’ involvement with the Dark Lord.

He cursed Lucius for attempting to drag him down into the Dark Lord’s virulent insanity.

And he cursed, quite vehemently too, his arranged marriage to Pansy.

He cursed it, loathed it and had spent the past ten years doing nothing more than learning the fine art of dodging one’s spouse in a variety of manners.

He let Pansy have free run and do what she pleased. It never took much to please her and was a small price to pay to be left alone with his memories.

The memories weren’t much, just of quiet afternoons filled with discussion or games of jackals and hounds. He’d become adept at it, and passed that skill on as well. There were trips to Hogsmeade, and frowning Slytherins and disapproving Gryffindors. There were so many things; things that spoke of something that could have blossomed into more and was left as a stunted growth.

But lately, Pansy had become a bit more demanding of him. His memories had to be locked away and never suspect. While Pansy was a fool, she knew when she was threatened. If she was threatened by the spectre of memories past, she would be relentless and he would not know a moment’s peace. While Pansy was content to spend his Galleons, she knew her position, as Mistress of the Malfoy fortune, was precarious at best.

Why? She had yet to do that little thing that Lucius had desperately waited for as long as he could before death took him. Narcissa was patiently waiting, though she showed nothing but scorn for Pansy from the beginning before they were married.

In the years that they were married, Pansy had yet to produce a Malfoy heir.

There was something about the thought of being intimate with Pansy that left him feeling ill. Pansy had done her best to be what she thought was seductive, multiple times. Each attempt left Draco with the vague feeling that he would never make it from the room fast enough to save his very soul. Or not retch violently.

If Narcissa had anything to say about their still childless union, she remained tight-lipped. Every Sunday when they went to visit, Pansy would sit through a visit of icy glares and thinly veiled disgust. Narcissa was politely warm to him as she always had been; nothing but her utmost scorn was saved for Pansy.

Pansy had chided Draco about it. He’d fed her the false words that Narcissa simply needed time to warm up to her.

But now, Pansy had enough of Narcissa’s glares and scorn. She became convinced that the only reason why she received such treatment was because they still had no child.

And that was the entire reason why she planned this trip to Barbados. However, this was Pansy brilliant idea to fix the relationship between her and Narcissa and possibly get Draco interested in her. Rekindle the spark in their marriage, as Pansy liked to say of late. Producing a Malfoy heir was the unspoken part.

Draco had reached the conclusion that Pansy was deluding herself. He knew it would do absolutely no good. Any woman smart enough to at least pass Hogwarts would know. But then again, Pansy had graduated under some very questionable circumstances.

At the moment, they were riding in a carriage to their hotel, and he found the brightly painted houses much more interesting. Coral, mint green, peach, sky blue, a wide hue of pastel colours blended with colourful clothes and friendly faces talking to one another as they went by. The houses gradually led to a market place, which was a street full of stores with some street side vendors. The open stalls were crammed full of fruits, a vast majority of them foreign looking. Yellow shaped stars, prickly green oblongs, smooth green mottled balls, and it all combined in the warm air, creating a heady fruity scent. The stalls further on gave way to various meats, some swimming in a sea of brine, other leaking fresh blood onto butcher’s paper. And underneath it all was the smell of fish, as they lay strung up on ropes drying, flopping in buckets of water or gasping their last breath under the wide awnings to keep the sun out.

Draco watched it all vanish away to give way to pastel houses once more. People milled in the street, talking to one another as if they had all the time in the world.

“Are you enjoying yourself so far honey?”

He was seized by the very strong urge to scream in exasperation. He had been forgetting that his wife was here with him. How like her to shatter an illusion that he preferred.

“Yeah.” He said, keeping his voice carefully neutral.

“Don’t you think this is just what we needed?” Pansy asked.

Draco refrained from saying what she possibly needed was a lobotomy and what he could use right away was a divorce. “Possibly.”

“You don’t sound sure.” Pansy said a moment later.

It seemed that the usual non-committal response wouldn’t be enough to satisfy Pansy today. “I’m sure this is just…what…”

Draco words trailed off as he saw a figure up ahead, drawing closer as the carriage kept on. Wild black hair curled against tanned skin. The thin frame was clothed in a shirt just buttoned in the middle, shorts that seemed in danger of falling off and sandals.

Draco looked for as long as he dared, feeling incredulity sweep over him. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him. They had to be. There was no way that –

“Draco?” Pansy peered at him.

“Yes,” Draco said, the neutral voice kicking in as he settled in his seat, memories seeping back to the forefront of his mind. “I’m sure this is just what we need.”

______________________________________

It had only been a few hours since he’d fled from Pansy’s presence. The carriage ride up was supposed to me romantic. Draco found the scenery far more entrancing than his wife was. And when they had arrived at their room in the hotel, and found their luggage already brought there, Pansy felt she deserved some attention. Draco felt anything else did.

A few tense hours together in the room was resolved by Draco supplying the needed callous comment. Pansy felt perfectly justified when she snapped at him and started railing.

He’s listened to it all, while attempting to dredge up the appropriate expression before leaving the room to take a walk on the beach.

He knew part of his distraction lay in what he thought he saw earlier. What brought back sharp memories of the past: memories of the past and of Harry Potter.

He could have sworn that face was on the street was Harry’s. But it wouldn’t be the first time that his mind played tricks on him.

He and Harry had become best friends in sixth year, when Draco began supplying the Order with information that his father passed on to him. He found himself in a position much like Snape’s and withdrew from many things. Many people in his life at the time posed too great a risk and he made short work of alienating them all. All except one.

The only thing he couldn’t extricate from his life was Harry.

The more Draco tried, the further Harry worked his way in. It was like feeding a fire. Eventually, Draco gave up and simply accepted Harry as a part of his life. Friendship followed swiftly on the heels of that acceptance. For the rest of sixth year, they were inseparable.

Seventh year proved to be an awkward year for them both.

The war with the Dark Lord was coming to its culmination and Draco’s information became even more valuable to the Order as the Dark Lord didn’t trust Snape fully any more, and revealed very little to him. Draco had to be very careful and Harry was whisked away most of the time for training sessions.

The awkwardness made itself very apparent on frigid January day when Draco had gone looking for Harry and found him in the Prefects bathroom.

He’d walked in and found one very naked Harry Potter, save for the towel around his waist. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the planes of muscle that were beginning to form and the scars that were already in place. When he looked at Harry, the Gryffindor had given him a knowing smile and said to have patience.

Draco had made a right fool of himself and done just that.

It was unspoken, that they would put whatever it could have been on hold until the Dark Lord was defeated.

When the war was declared officially over, there was a massive feast at Hogwarts, with parents invited. Draco hadn’t been thrilled when Lucius had showed up, but he was still glad to at least see Narcissa.

The only thing that ruined the feast was that he couldn’t slip away to at least talk to Harry.

And then Lucius had called for attention to make that damnable announcement: that Draco Augustus Malfoy would be marrying Pansy Ursula Parkinson.

Pansy had squealed and hugged him, while the look on Lucius’ face said to be nothing less than thrilled. Draco had put on an act worthy of an award.

He and Harry had only seen each other once that night. It was through the crowd, and only for a moment. But the expression on Harry’s face said it all. Hurt, wounded, sad and angry, oh so very angry.

When he went to do damage control the next morning, he learned from Snape that Harry had vanished after the feast some time in the night. No one knew where he had gone and had no idea of where he might be.

Lucius’ stunt had cost him and he wasn’t even too sure what the price was exactly. But he knew it was great.

It burned him to not know what he could have had with Harry. And as time passed, it enraged him.

He wanted to run away, to find Harry and explain that he had no intention of marrying Pansy. But he certainly didn’t have the courage to disobey Lucius. He felt like nothing without Harry around; just a hollow shell animated by burning rage against Lucius and the fool’s hope that he would at least see Harry some day.

He couldn’t do anything. And so he let the preparations go on and before he knew it, he found himself married. The ministry job came almost immediately after, and he found himself living the life that Lucius wanted for him.

And he found out two other things very quickly. One was that he hated being married to Pansy. Two was that he was stuck in the most boring heterosexual marriage ever. And until the end of the year, he couldn’t do a thing about it.

Draco gave a heavy sigh, looking up from the smooth expanse of white sand he had been walking along. This wouldn’t be the first time where he had wanted to see Harry so much that he saw him when he wasn’t there. He wished he could forget what he saw, but that fool’s hope reared up, unquenchable and demanding to be sated.

He would have a hell of a time hiding it from Pansy.

He turned his attention back to the beach, taking a deep breath of salt air curling in off the ocean. He’d removed his shoes and socks, finding it easier to walk along the fine-grained sand with bare feet. The sun was setting with a blazing corona of gold and orange, against the dark bleeding cerulean of the ocean. The sand itself was tinted with the bright colours of the sunset, and it seemed like he was walking across a bed of flames.

Was nature itself conspiring against him, reminding him vividly of Harry?

He kept walking, spying a small fringe of grass up ahead and a cluster of coconut trees with bushes with large red flowers. When he made it there, he decided to sit down against one, far away enough from the gear of some sort that lay piled underneath another tree. He rested his shoes beside him, watching the sunset.

Since he was here alone, why not revel in memories of the past and speculations of what could have been? Merlin knew he wouldn’t get to when he went back to the hotel room.

He smiled faintly to himself, watching the sun, allowing the memories to wash over him. He didn’t know how long he sat there, but the sound of someone surfacing on the water made him start. The sky was a dark black blue, studded with stars with vestiges of orange-gold streaked in it. The figure in the water had black hair streaming down over a mask of some sort and a bag filled with something clutched in a hand.

For some strange reason he found himself getting up and walking to the water, like a moth drawn to a flame. The sand went from dry white to damp beige beneath his feet. The water was lapping at his feet when he finally came to a stop. The person in the water seemed frozen, the mask fogging up and hiding their eyes from view.

Draco let his eyes roam over the frame, feeling the hope swell within him that he had found Harry, after all this time.

The person seemed to find their motor skills again, and strode out of the water, past him with a nod of the head, collecting their gear by the coconut tree. Draco turned, watching them as they removed their mask but kept their back to him. Merlin, he wanted it to be Harry so badly, so he could finally explain and, hopefully at the very least, get a glimpse of what might have been.

“What’s in the bag?” he called in a slightly trembling voice.

“Sea urchins.” The voice had a thick island accent, but it shook, as if it could barely contain some emotion. And Draco’d be damned if he didn’t recognise it, accent and all.

“Harry…” Draco said a bit hesitantly.

Harry grabbed all his stuff and hurried away through the trees, as if he simply had to flee from Draco’s presence. Draco wanted to run after him, but found his legs locked into place. It seemed like a long while before he could move again, although he wasn’t all that sure he wanted to.

He numbly went to get his shoes and start back off down the beach to the hotel. He felt his eyes prickle and he cursed the overly salty air. He wouldn’t admit that it had been Harry he had seen. He wouldn’t admit that Harry had run away from him again. And he certainly wouldn’t admit that he was now crying.

______________________________________

“Look at this Draco,” Pansy said as they passed a bulletin posted in the hotel lobby. “Caribbana is going to be here on Friday.” 

Draco sighed. Yes, he knew all about Caribbana; Merlin knew Pansy didn’t talk about it enough last night when he got back. Scanty costumes, large floats, loud soca, reggae and other things he’s forgotten to pay attention to. And Merlin knew that Pansy would feel the need to drag him out into a large crowd with blaring music that would undoubtedly give him a massive headache.

“Something wrong?” Pansy asked, wrapping her arms around one of his.

“Nothing. Just a slight headache.” Draco lied, fighting the very strong urge to shake her arms off.

“Oh, all right then. Let’s go shopping at the markets.”

It wasn’t like Draco had much choice in the matter. Pansy wanted to go shopping, and he had the Galleons. As well as some Muggle dollars for good measure. It was best to be prepared with Pansy.

He found himself dragged from store to store, stopping at a few street side vendors. The only real interaction he had with Pansy was when she said she wanted something and he pulled out the necessary means of paying for it.

They wandered from store to store, looking over the bright wares, eventually coming to the fringes of the produce and meat stores and vendors. He vaguely paid attention to Pansy’s derogatory comment about the stink in the shop that earned a glare from the owner, who probably raised the price considerably.

He waited while Pansy took her time perusing the wares, when he heard a voice from outside.

“And ya got nuthin’ betta?”

‘Dis be da freshest; ya can go n’ pick somethin’ out dere if ya dun’t like it.”

There came a snort. “Ya wouldn’t know fresh from da rotten backside of ass.”

Draco had to resist the urge to give a sharp bark of laughter. He slipped away from Pansy and came to a stop at a vendor on the street close by and pretended to be choosing something. He kept glancing out of the corner of his eye. There was definitely wild black hair, and it curled in every which direction. Today, there were more fitted shorts and a shirt buttoned up all the way except for the first few buttons. There was a tantalising hollow revealed there that moved slightly with speaking.

“Well, I’ll take da soursop, breadfruit, plantain, cucumbas and some of dem pawpaw.”

“Fine, fine,” the vendor sighed. “Ya better off takin’ some of da sorrel as well if ya –”

That was all that was said since a shrill voice made everyone stop and look around.

“Draco!”

Draco looked up, and over at the stall. He found himself looking into shocked and apprehensive green eyes. Harry Potter’s green eyes. Sure it had been ten years, but he would recognise Harry anywhere.

“Draco Malfoy!!”

He bit back the urge to start cursing and turned to find Pansy stalking up to him. Already a few men at the stands were chuckling, anticipating a good show.

“How dare you wander off and leave me looking like a fool!” she screeched at him. “If you do it one more time –”

“You’ll what Pansy?” he asked in a cold voice as he crossed his arms and frowned.

Pansy stopped at that, suddenly not looking so sure of herself. She looked at Draco for a moment before she turned on her heel with a dismissive little noise and went back to the store. Draco watched her for a moment, before he looked over at the adjoining stall. The vendor was still there, sitting on his stool and looking at him. But there was no Harry. He’d disappeared like a flicker of a flame.

He followed after Pansy, but only went to the storeto apologise to the vendor. He left a sputtering Pansy behind who made a futile sound and then scurried after Draco. He didn’t even go back to the hotel. He headed for the beach. Pansy tried to follow him and rectify the damage that she did, but he told her in nothing less than succinct terms to leave him alone if she knew what was good for her.

His feet took him back to the same spot where he sat down and just watched the sea, while the fool’s hope inside him swelled in triumph.

______________________________________

Friday rolled around, and Draco felt restless. Hopefully, Pansy would attribute it to possible excitement about Caribbana. Pansy could have her delusions. 

He knew the real reason why he felt excited today. All week, he’d been seeing Harry at different places. But it was never for more than a moment, like a flicker; one moment he was there, the next, gone to somewhere else. It was driving him mad, like throwing small amounts of fuel on the fire to gradually build it up. Draco felt like he was on the verge of exploding.

“Are you excited about today?” Pansy asked as she sat down on the bed, searching for her earrings on the nightstand.

“Yeah,” Draco said, already looking out the window, glad it was another sunny day.

“Good,” Pansy smiled at him. “It’s almost one and I thought we would find a comfortable spot and try watching the parade live in the hotel lobby.”

Draco frowned at that, while seeing a chance to escape her for the day. “The hotel lobby? You want to watch it from the hotel lobby?”

“Well, who knows what it will get like outside with that crowd of people, sweating and stinking up the air.” Pansy shuddered. “They have televisions there, so we won’t need to go outside.”

“Have fun watching it alone then.”

Draco didn’t give Pansy a chance to reply since he left the bedroom, closing the door securely behind him. He hurried to the elevator and found someone getting off. He nodded his head in thanks and stepped in, the doors closing as he could hear Pansy calling for him.

He left the hotel as quickly as possible, wandering along the streets. He wandered farther past the stores he had visited with Pansy earlier on in the week. He found these stores looked more comfortable. People were milling about outside, holding plastic bags of groceries, having small conversations and discussing the upcoming parade. Kids were playing with one another outside, or antagonising their parents who were trying to have a conversation.

His stomach grumbled as he caught the scent of fried food. With a shrug, he ambled up to someone at the street corner and asked for a place to eat. He found himself walking into a shady, cool place, with wide doors that opened to a well-shaded veranda.

“What’ll ya have?” the girl behind the counter asked him.

Draco shrugged. “What do you have?”

The girl looked at him like he was blind while she jerked a thumb at the menu on a decent sized wooden stand. There was a small chalkboard screwed on, with the special of the day written on in bright yellow chalk. Fishcakes with a side order of fried plantain, ginger beer and soursop ice cream for dessert. It couldn’t be as bad as it sounded, this soursop ice cream. He ordered the special, paid, and a couple minutes later, he found himself heading to the veranda, looking out directly at the street. It was even a bit raised, so, if he stayed here, he could easily watch the entire parade comfortably.

He picked a good spot and made himself comfortable, reclining back in the worn chair and enjoying the breeze. Every so often he would look up to find people streaming into the restaurant and getting food and making themselves comfortable. He munched on the fishcakes slowly, enjoying the delicately seasoned greasiness. He had just moved on to the fried plantains and found them sweet with a slight crunch to the edges when a shadow settled down in the only other seat at his table.

“Ya must have innate good taste. Da fishcakes are good here.”

Draco looked up at the familiar accented voice, seeing Harry sitting across from him, a pained smile on his face. He started to talk but found a piece of plantain going down his throat. He started coughing, and reached for his gingerbeer. It burned and stung slightly as it went down, but it had the desired effect of washing the food down the right tube.

“Harry,” he said a bit hoarsely. “How have you been?”

“Good,” Harry said. “I run a charter fishin' business. And – ”

“Married,” Draco grimaced as he cut off Harry. “Working at the Ministry.”

Harry gave a bitter laugh. “Yes, ever charmin' Pansy, how’s she?”

“A transparent annoyance,” Draco shrugged. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

Harry didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Last I heard, you n’ Pansy didn’t have none kids.”

“Thank Merlin for that small blessing in my marriage.”

Harry looked momentarily surprised but didn’t say anything. “Da parade’s startin’ soon. Wanna stay here and watch it? Is a good spot actually.”

Draco nodded his head as he had another drink of his gingerbeer and took a spoonful of soursop ice cream. It wasn’t all that bad; quite refreshing actually.

The parade didn’t take too long to start, and, even though the veranda filled up with loud talking people, Draco found himself, watching scantily clad men and women dance past, carrying huge floats on wheels behind them. Trucks went by as well, people on the platforms dancing and moving against one another wildly to the music. The costumes glittered brightly in the sunlight and the loud soca and reggae beats made the pavement pound. Draco could feel it through the ground, tingling up his feet and through the rest of his body. He glanced over at Harry every so often and looked away hastily, not trusting himself to not flush in embarrassment.

When the last float had gone by, the sun was starting to sink in the sky. The veranda started emptying out slowly. By the time the veranda was clear of a large bulk of the people, the sky was darkening with coming of twilight. Harry rose and stretched languidly. Draco found himself hard pressed to not watch him too overtly.

“Ya dun’t have to hurry back to da harpy do ya?” he asked.

“No.” Draco said. “Why?”

“Feel like a walk?”

“Sure,” Draco rose from his seat “Anywhere in particular?”

“Not really.” Harry said as he weaved his way through the milling people inside.

Draco followed after him, stepping out into the street. Chairs had been brought out now, and little conversation clusters were going on right in the street, shop doors wide open. People still bought things, but walked into the shop, came out with what they needed, unerringly found the owner, paid and continued on their way. Porch lights started flickering on, making a few bugs come crashing towards them.

When he looked over at Harry, he found those green irises looking at him slyly from the corner of eyes.

“Yes?” Draco asked.

“Want a sno-cone?”

“And why would I want to eat a cone of snow?”

Harry laughed. “Is pretty good actually. C’mon.”

Draco followed him as he went up to a vendor and got two cherry cones. When Harry placed the paper cone in his hand, he looked at it, unimpressed. It was just a cone of shaved ice with some liquid flavouring squirted on top. But still, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“Hm, you’re right.” Draco said after his first mouthful. “It’s good.”

“Told ya.” Harry gave a momentary grin. “Hey, can I ask ya somethin'?”

“Yes.” Draco said, his throat suddenly feeling dry; he was very glad for that sno-cone now.

“Why’d ya come here?”

“It was Pansy’s idea. Mother doesn’t like her and Pansy’s convinced that it’s because we haven’t had a child yet.” He snorted scornfully. “She wants me to impregnate her on this trip and hopefully kick start our marriage.”

“And?” Harry ventured.

“I have no intention of sleeping with Pansy. Ever.” He shuddered with a sound of disgust.

“So why’d ya marry her?” Harry didn’t’ say anything for a long moment. “Dun’t tell me ya love her.”

“I don’t,” Draco said after a long moment, following Harry as he turned a corner. “But I wasn’t exactly in the position to disobey my father at the time.”

Harry nodded his head sagely as he made a bit more of his sno-cone disappear. “When I saw yor face dat night, ya looked like dat was what ya wanted all ya life. I couldn’t take dat, so I left.”

“Merlin, I wish you didn’t. I needed you to stay. If you had stayed…” Draco trailed off, feeling a bit unsure.

“What Draco? What mighta happened?” Harry asked in a somewhat strained voice.

“Things might be very different. We would probably be together.” Draco said in a small voice as he looked at his partially eaten sno-cone. “I didn’t think I could stand up to my father alone. I needed you.”

Harry didn’t say anything for a moment as they turned another corner. “I’m sorry Draco. I was only thinkin’ to get outta there. I mean, it hurt den, and it still hurts now, ya know?”

“I know,” Draco said. “I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I kept looking for you everywhere.”

“I tried so hard to forget ya. Merlin knows I tried. But den ya showed up like a jumbie on da beach and I panicked.”

“Huh? Jumbie?”

“A ghost,” Harry ran a hand through his hair. “If da accent bothers ya, I can cast a spell n’ –”

“Why? You’ve been here ten years, right?” Draco smiled as Harry nodded his head. “What right do I have to change you?”

Harry laughed lightly as he stopped walking for a moment, sniffing the air. “Hm, storm brewin’,” he looked around. “And ya won’t make it to da hotel. Why dun’t you hole up at my place? Is close by.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

He smiled and continued walking with Harry. It didn’t take them long to reach Harry’s house. It was whitewashed and had a nice garden in the front, crammed full of plants. Large orange and red blossoms swayed in the growing wind. By the time they stepped in the front door, the wind had picked up and there was a rumbling off in the distance.

Draco looked around as Harry closed the door. While the exterior was a plain white, the inside was painted a warm peach colour and the hallway seemed to lead down into a living room.

“Take yor shoes off.” Harry said easily as he slipped his off. “Want anythin'? Somethin' to drink?”

“That’d be great.” Draco said.

“Rum all right?” Harry asked.

“Sure.”

“All right. Go n’ make yorself comfortable,” Harry gestured to the living room as he took a few steps down the hallway and disappeared through a doorway.

Draco walked to the living room slowly, pausing to see Harry getting glasses, while a bottle of amber liquid sat on the counter. He continued onto the living room and found a dark caramel coloured couch sitting against a wall, with a coffee table in front of it. The couch was positioned to allow a great view of the backyard. He sat down and looked out the sliding glass door, seeing the plants and few trees swaying in the strong wind. He could see slight lines streaking down to splatter against the glass. It was only a few moments later that the rain started coming down steadily.

“Is always like dat when it rains here.”

Draco turned at the sound of Harry’s voice, seeing two glasses with liquid in one hand and the bottle in the other. Harry came and sat down beside him, resting the bottle on the table and handing a glass to Draco. Draco took it, his fingers brushing against Harry’s. He looked at him for a moment before he took his glass and settled back against the cushions.

“Nice place.”

“I did what I could.” Harry said with a shrug as he took a sip of rum. “Is not much, but is home.”

“Sure beats the mansion.” Draco laughed uneasily a moment later.

“Dis little house beats Malfoy Manor?” Harry gave a slightly mocking laugh. “And why’s dat?”

“Because you’re here.” Draco replied quietly before he sipped his rum.

Harry hung his head for a moment and placed his glass on the table. “Dun’t do dis Draco.”

“Do what? Said what I should have said ten years ago?” Draco said, sitting up and placing his glass on the table as well.

“Ya married now,” Harry said. “And I may not like her, I won’t have ya committin' adul –”

“Don’t even say it,” Draco hissed. “I’m not married. I’m stuck in a very tedious position until the end of the year. Why shouldn’t I say it?”

“Because I can’t take it!” Harry exploded as he rose from his seat. “Ten years Draco, ten years! Ten years of livin’ wi’ da fact dat I’m…”

Draco watched as Harry trailed off, walking up to the sliding doors and looking out at the rain and wind lashed garden. Harry crossed his arms, watching the rain.

“What, you think those ten years were any different for me?” Draco demanded as he stood as well. “Merlin, I was faithful, but it sure as hell wasn’t to Pansy.”

Harry didn’t say anything but Draco saw that his shoulders tensed. He came over to Harry, standing behind him and not saying anything for a moment.

“I’ve spent the past ten years thinking I was still in love with nothing more than a ghost.”

Harry made a choked sound but didn’t say anything for a long while before he spoke. “And I’ve been in love wi’ a married man.” He whispered.

“Harry,” Draco said finally, resting his hands on Harry’s shoulders. “You don’t have to agree but at the end of the year, I’m going to divorce Pansy.”

“Can you do dat?” Harry asked in a small voice.

“There’s a clause in the prenuptial agreement,” Draco said, stepping in a bit closer and resting his chin on Harry’s shoulder. “If no child is born after ten years, the marriage can be nullified.”

“So ya’d leave Pansy and –”

“I’m not losing you again. But you’ll have to wait. I’ll come back for you.”

Harry drew a shaky breath. “What’s six more months to ten years.”

Draco chuckled and nestled his face against Harry’s neck. Merlin, this felt so right. Harry was so warm, like a small fire had been started inside him. He wrapped his arms around him, feeling like he could burst from feeling so content. Harry sighed and sank back against him, taking one of Draco’s hands in his.

Draco’s breath caught as Harry guided his hand lower slowly. Draco felt like his blood was pounding in body and pooling in his groin. When Harry stopped his hand, it was resting over a decidedly hard bulge.

“Harry,” Draco said in a thick voice. “You should know that I haven’t –”

“Dat’s all right,” Harry said in a breathless voice. “Me neither. I think we’ll be all right.”

The next thing Draco knew, Harry had turned around in his arms and was kissing him. He felt some part of him melt under Harry’s passionate kiss and he clung to him, kissing for all he was worth. They stumbled their way to the bedroom, shedding clothes as they went with the thunder rumbling outside and bright lightning splitting the sky open. When they collapsed on Harry’s bed, there was a moment, when they weren’t too sure what to do. After all, neither of them had ever been with anyone else, let alone another man. Sure, Draco had read how it was supposed to work, and he had a feeling Harry had as well, but putting it into practice was another story.

But then Harry was kissing Draco again, hands roaming over his body, and Draco decided that it didn’t matter that they didn’t know precisely what to do. There was skin on skin, lips moving against body parts, Harry’s touch inflaming him. It was Harry touching him and making him feel this way, and that was all that mattered. He writhed and moaned before wrestling with Harry and making him do the same.

Draco didn’t know how long it lasted for, it just seemed like a long blur. But when Harry stumbled from the bed and came back with something he struggled to look up. It looked like a small silver square and a bottle of something. But then, Harry’s lips were on him again and his eyes fluttered shut, enjoying the sensations. He vaguely heard a ripping sound and struggled to sit up and see, but then Harry’s tongue did something to his bellybutton and he sank back into the bed with a groan and arching his back.

“Draco,” Harry said breathlessly. “Dis may hurt a bit.”

Draco made an exasperated sound and pulled Harry up for a searing kiss. He’d spent the past ten years hurting emotionally. What was a bit of physical pain?

“I don’t care.” He breathed as he broke off the kiss.

Harry kissed him and Draco could feel him smile. And then Harry was pressing against his entrance. Some vague part of Draco’s brain protested but the rest was pleasure soaked and welcomed it. Harry pressed in slowly and Draco ground his head back against the pillows. Pain intermingled with the pleasure in his brain. It burned as it went in, as if it would incinerate him from the inside. When Harry stopped pushing, Draco let out a ragged breath.

“Draco?” Harry sounded worried.

“So maybe you were a bit right. I’m fine.” Draco said. “Don’t stop.”

Harry’s brow creased slightly as he pulled out and pushed back in slowly. Draco hissed slightly, working his hips. Harry stopped again, asking if Draco was all right, but Draco wrapped leg around his waist and tightened it, making Harry move back in. Harry moved gently, afraid of hurting Draco. Draco was moving, trying to find someway to make it feel good. The burning sensation was lessening, and it wasn’t all that unplea –

“Oh Merlin!” he exclaimed as Harry brushed against something in him and he saw patches of colour.

“Draco?” Harry sounded really worried. “Ya –”

“Again.” Draco said. “Do it again.”

Harry moved in and brushed against it again, causing small explosions of pleasure through Draco’s body.

“Oh, right there.” He moaned. “Right there.”

No sound came from the room save for groans and gasps as Harry moved a bit faster and Draco writhed under him, clinging and arching his back, wordlessly urging him faster. But Harry refused, keeping the steady pace.

“God Draco,” Harry gasped a moment later. “I dun’t think I’m goin’ to –”

“Don’t you dare,” Draco breathed. “Don’t you dare come before –”

But then Harry thrust back into him and shuddered, pressing his head against Draco’s shoulder. Draco gave a small moan as Harry settled against him, stimulating his hardness further. He was so close and now Harry was done.

“Harry…” Draco pleaded in a needy voice.

“Mmm,” Harry murmured against Draco’s throat. “Still got dat problem?”

Draco stifled a gasp as Harry moved his hips and rubbed against him. He winced slightly as Harry pulled out of him, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. When he opened them, he saw Harry dropping something on the night table, wrinkled and crumpled like a second skin.

“Harry, what’s tha….”

Draco’s words dissolved into a moan as Harry’s mouth settled on his hardness. A few minutes later, he was thrusting into Harry’s mouth, feeling like he was about to combust. It didn’t take much more to send him over the edge as his orgasm burned through him, patches of colour mottling his vision.

Draco sank bonelessly into the mattress, feeling too content and sated to move. Harry came up, resting on his chest with an ear pressed to the sternum. It took Draco a while to see properly again. He closed his eyes for a moment, a smile coming to his face before he turned his head, seeing the crumpled thing on the night table.

“Harry, what’s that?” he asked quietly.

“Mm?” Harry’s head raised for a moment before he settled it back down on Draco’s chest. “Oh. Is a condom.”

“A what?”

“A condom. Muggles use it; is like a contraceptive potion. Useful for stds as well.” Harry said matter of factly. “Ya think I’m stupid?”

“No, I don’t,” Draco replied, immensely glad Harry had kept his wits about him. That was the last thing he needed to be worried about, getting some disease or possibly pregnant. While male pregnancies were rare, it wasn’t that far a stretch; innate magic could do some funny things to a witch or wizard. “But I’m thinking we should give it another whirl.”

“Ya raise a very good point.” Harry chuckled as he shifted, angling his lips towards Draco’s.

“I’ll come back for you Harry.” Draco whispered when Harry’s lips were almost close to his.

Harry chose to not reply but kiss him instead.

______________________________________

The hotel was quiet when Draco walked into the lobby. There was a sleepy looking attendant behind the counter and a few people walking about, getting things ready for the day. He knew the concierge saw him and simply gave him a smile and a wave. Draco smiled and waved back, feeling genuinely happy. 

The elevator ride up to his floor was quiet, as was the walk to the suite. But when he stepped into the room and closed the door, he found himself facing a livid Pansy.

“Just where have you been all night?” she hissed. “You abandoned me for the whole day!”

“Yes, Merlin forbid you should have to fend for yourself.” Draco sneered.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Draco didn’t bother to hide the fact that he rolled his eyes. “I went to the parade. I ended up talking to some people and we were outside when the storm hit. It was a good walk back to the hotel and they wouldn’t let me go in the rain and gave me a place to stay for the night.”

Pansy eyed him suspiciously before she huffed and went to go sit on the chair on the balcony. Draco snorted and didn’t bother with her further, simply going to the bathroom, stripping his clothes and changing into something comfortable before he came back out and slipped into the bed.

He lay there for a bit, feigning the appearance of sleep. Sure enough, Pansy’s footsteps sounded on the carpeted floor. He could hear her, riffling through the clothes he had worn, making sniffing noises.

He fell asleep with the thought that she was acting like a bloodhound and a smirk on his face.

______________________________________

The trip to Barbados had seemed so long ago. Almost like another lifetime. When they had come back to England, Pansy had found that her effort had failed abysmally. She spent the next few months concocting increasingly outlandish schemes in an attempt to keep her preconceived hold on Draco.

Draco was content to watch her scrabble, trying to compensate for something she knew absolutely nothing about. But she could certainly sense it, hence her attempts.

Narcissa seemed to sense it as well, and took an almost perverse delight in watching and making Pansy suffer.

And once December rolled around, Draco let Pansy attempt one last scheme. His reply had been a set of divorce papers. Pansy had gnashed her teeth, unable to understand what she had done wrong. She’d tried her best to fight it, but Draco had the ‘no child after ten years, no more marriage’ clause on his side. It took no more than a few days to settle permanently

Pansy was sent packing with what she had brought into the marriage, nothing more and nothing less. And it wasn’t very much at that, compared to his holdings.

Draco considered the prenuptial agreement the sole good thing Lucius had ever thought of or done for him.

He sighed and took another sip of tea from his cup. He was waiting for Narcissa to meet him in the parlour. He had come to see her today at the Sussex manse, as he knew he would have to tell her, of all people. The sun was shining in through the windows and Draco found himself smiling slightly.

‘Well, I haven’t seen you smile in a very long time.”

Draco hastily put down his cup and rose upon hearing his mother’s voice. Narcissa inclined her head politely and made her way over to her seat, sitting down and arranging her dress robes. Draco waited until she was done and then sat back down, fixing her usual cup of tea. Narcissa took it when he offered it to her with a nod of approval.

“I must say that I’m glad that I won’t be seeing Parkinson’s boorish face every Sunday any more.” Narcissa said crisply before taking a sip of tea. “She never learned how to carry a conversation.”

“Come now Mother, you’re being awfully nice.”

Narcissa sniffed, but the corner of her lips curled slightly in a pleased sneer. “I expect you have some other reason as to your visit?”

Draco nodded as he set down his teacup. “I’m going back to Barbados.”

Narcissa looked at him sharply before she nodded her head. She took a sip of her tea before she set the cup back down on the saucer.

“Shall I presume there is a reason to your return there?”

“There is.”

“Is it a permanent reason?”

“It may be.”

Narcissa didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Someone?”

“Possibly.” Draco said, feeling flush steal to his face.

“I see,” Narcissa said in an oddly soft tone. “So that’s where young Mr. Potter relocated.”

Draco didn’t say anything, but his face burned an even brighter red. Narcissa arched an eyebrow slightly, watching him.

“Any fool could have seen how you two felt for one another,” she pronounced finally. “Your father chose to blindly ignore it and set you up with that… girl. She was an idiot to miss it as well.”

“You don’t disapprove?”

“And why should I? Your father and I had our sore spots, true. But we still loved each other.” Narcissa shrugged. “I fail to see why I should make your life miserable because you happened to fall in love with young Mr.Potter.”

Draco nodded his head, feeling relief swell through him. “You should know that I am leaving tomorrow morning.”

“And then you’ll determine if it is a permanent move or not?”

Draco nodded his head. Narcissa made a slight sound in the back of her throat and rested her cup down.

“Send an owl once it has been decided. Should it be permanent, quarterly visits will suffice.”

Draco looked at her. While her expression remained the same, he could have sworn he saw a gleam of approval in her eyes. He smiled slightly and picked up his teacup again.

______________________________________

The white sand was warm beneath his feet, even though the sun was sinking low in the sky. The sunset lit up the sky with a brilliant blaze of hues. Pink, light blue, orange and red all melded together and cast dancing reflections on the water. Draco walked along the beach, a hand shoved in his pocket and shoes and socks held in the other. 

He wasn’t in a hurry and took his time.

It didn’t take him long to reach the clump of coconut trees. But this time, there wasn’t a pile of gear but a reclining figure with their eyes closed.

Draco smiled as he realised that Harry was probably dozing. He walked up as quietly as he could and sat down beside Harry. He really was asleep, since he didn’t even stir at all. He must have lost the instinct that made him wake up when someone so much as breathed on him. Conversely, Harry could just be humouring him.

“Hm, looks like I’ve found a jumbie of my own.” He murmured.

Sure enough, one of Harry’s eyes opened to a slit, looking at him. Then his eyes opened fully and he sat up, shifting to look at Draco.

“Maybe ya should run. Jumbies have a nasty habit of possessin’ people, makin’ dem do things…” Harry trailed off, but there was a smile growing on his face.

Draco chuckled. “Then I think it’s too late for me to run.”

“Good,” Harry said as he pulled Draco in for a kiss. “Because I think I’m possessed.”

______________________________________


End file.
